Atomizer construction



Jan. 13, 1959 s, M CROCE l 2,868,586

ATOMIZER CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 6, 1956 ZMQQ United States Patent Of `ATOMIZER CONSTRUCTION Santy M. Croce, Hauppauge, N. Y., assignor to Coty, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application November 6, 1956, Serial No. 620,735

6 Claims. (Cl. 299-88) This invention relates to atomizers and more particularly to an atomizer of the type which may be simply incorporated or combined with a cap for a perfume bottle. Thus, the preassembled cap-atomizer structure may be attached to the lled bottle so that it serves as an effective closure as well as atomizing means.

The atomizer of this invention is of marked simplicity comprising a minimum number of parts. Its main body is of a structure which eliminates the need of a resilient gasket such as is normally employed in atomizers. Such structure further has a flexibility which enhances the sealing action taking place at its orices. In addition, the article is rendered most decorative by having a jewel or the like at its upper end. The jewel itself however is not merely decorative since it functions as a locking element, the jewel serving to lock the components of the atomizer together. The invention has other advantages such as will be understood from the following description and drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a combined perfume bottle cap and atomizer as applied to a perfume bottle (broken away in the drawing), the atomizer being in the open position;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional View as taken alongthe line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure 2 but with the atomizer in the closed position;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view as taken along the line 4 4 of Figure l;

Figure 5 is a View similar to Figure 4 but with the atomizer in the closed position;

Figure 6 is a top perspective view of the atomizer collar for defining the open and closed position of the atomizer; and i Figure 7 is a top plan view of the combined atomizer cap and perfume bottle.

The sealing and atomizing unit referred to collectively as 1, is applied to a` bottle 2 containing perfume. The bottle 2 has a threaded neck which is engaged by the cap insert or lliner 3, said liner 3 being press fitted into metallic outer cap or shell 4. Cap 4 is formed with a central opening 5. It is through this opening 5 that the body of the atomizer extends and is secured to the top of the bottle neck.

The body 6 of the atomizer is preferably of resilient rubberror plastic such as vinyl or nylon. It is formed with a base or oor flange 7 which is clamped to the lip of the bottle neck when the cap 4 is screwed down. Body 6 is shown as having a central post 8 which is illustrated as being wider at its bottom than at its top although it may assume any desirable form. The upper end of post 8 is terminated in a crown or mouth 9 which is open in its center. Such opening is adapted to receive the locking jewel as will hereinafter be described.

Post 8 is formed with a laterally disposed, vertical Accordingly, the tube 11 may be fabricated of porous material if de- 2,868,586 Patented Jan. 13, 1959 l CC 2 sired.` Passage 10 communicates at its upper end with chamber 12 which may be termed the outlet chamber of the atomizer body. Post 8 is further formed with a transverse passage 13 which is open from one end of the post 8 to the other and terminates in a nozzle 14 disposed in the chamber 12 so that transverse passage 13 communicates with chamber 12. Post 8 is also formed with` a short vertical passage 15 which communicates with a short transverse section 16 for the purpose of providing an air vent. j

As will be explained hereinafter, the movable elements of the atomizer are rotatable through degrees to provide either the open or closed position thereof. The rotatable portion comprises an arm 17 to one end of which is connected air `compression means in the form of a deformable bulb 18. The arm 17 is hollow and extends into the bulb 18 asis conventional. Connected to the other end of the arm is a rigid collar 19 which may be of metal or the like. Collar 19 is formed with an outlet nozzle 20 which may graduate to a smaller diameter at its outlet end as shown. is cut away along an arc 21 as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, thus providing defining edges 22 and 23 which serve as limits and dene the swing of the rotatable section. As an example, arc 21 may be about 150 degrees, thus per- `mitting limited rotation of a limit tongue as will be hereinafter described.

It willbe understood that rotation of the arm 17, bulb 18 yand collar 19 in relation to the atomizer body 6, determines the open and closed positions of the atomizer. However, it has been determined that the relatively soft material of which the atomizer body 6 is fabricated would sometimes interfere with proper positioning of the rotatable structure for accurately controlled open and closed positions. Accordingly, a rigid collar 24 is provided. Collar 24 may be fabricated of rigid plastic or metal. It is provided with a pair of openings 25 which serve to position it angularly upon the flange 7, said flange 7 being formedV with protuberances; 26 which extend through the openings 25 for this purpose. Collar 24 is formed'with a vertical flange 27 which is further formed with an upstanding arcuate tongue 28. Tongue 28, in combination with arcuate cut-out 21 limits and determines the open and closed position of the atomizer.

In an actual embodiment, the arcuate cut-out 21 was about degrees andabout /g in depth, the same as the height of tongue 28. The extent of arcuate tongue 28 was about 30 degrees. Accordingly, the tongue 28 was permitted a 90 degree revolution within arcuate cutout 21, such 90 degrees constituting the swing of the rotatable portion and dening the open and closed positions respectively at the ends of such swing.

The atomizer and bottle are assembled by first disposing the collar 24 on the iange 7 and then clamping both of them simultaneously against the lip of the bottle neck by means of the cap jl as illustrated in Figure l. Collar 19 is then forced over the upper end of crown 9 and against the vertical flange 27 upon which it. comes to rest. Crown 9 is then spread apart and a synthetic jewel or the like 29 is inserted therein. The crown is thus horizontally diametrically spread and is permitted to return to normal position except for the locking influence of the jewel'29. The jewel 29 locks the collar 19 against axial movement and prevents it from becoming disengaged from the post 8 and the entire unit is thus locked in position by the jewel.

In the open position as shown in Figure l, one edge of arcuate tongue 28 lies against defining edge 22. In this position, pressure upon the bulb 18 will send a stream of air through the hollow interior of arm 17, through transverse passage 13, chamber 12 and outlet nozzle 28. This7 of course, will lower the pressure at the top of The bottom wall of collar 19 i passage ltlfand, by VenturiV action, perfumewwilkbe drawn up through thepassage,.10..andsprayedoutwardly as is well understood.

When, however, it is de'sired to close the atomizer, the fbulb :18, and arm 117 .areuswungi v90; degreesl until dening :edge,23l.of .arcuategcutoutlzli is intercepted by the opposite edgeof thearcuate tongue 28. .ThisJ position -is illustratedyin yFigure 45. When-this occursft'he outlet nozzle 2i) is blocked by thebody of4 the atomizer asy illustrated in Figure 3. Transverse.passage 13is.also 'blocked as is theinner end of .the openingof arm 17, so that pressure on the bulbcannot produce-any atomizing action.

In the open position of the atomizer, the passagesv 15 and communicate'witha shortdownward groovet) formed in `the wall lofxcollar1)',vvhich serves as an exit vent.

WhileI `have showni-and'gdescribed whatl believe to be the best embodiments 4of my invention, itiwill be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes and modifications may be .made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of: the invention as shown `in the appended claims.

'What is claimed. is:

1. An atomizer for dispensing liquid from a bottle s having a neck, said yatomizer comprising yan atomizer'body having dispensing passage ,means formed therethrough and adapted to besecuredto abottle neck, an air propelling member rotatably surrounding and embracing said body, land means to lock said air, propelling member to said body against disassembly therefrom, said locking means comprising a resilient, crown formed at the top end of said body and a spreader member removably /received in said crown and spreading; said crown over said air propelling member to lock said air propelling member in its rotating position.

2. An atomizer for dispensing liquid from a bottle, said atomizer comprising.- an fatom-izer a body'l ofresilient material and having dispensing passage means formed therethrough and adapted to `be secured to a bottle neck, an air propelling .member rotatably surrounding and embracing said body, and means to flocksaidair; propelling member against axial movement in respect Yto said body, said locking means comprising a mouth formed -at the top end of said body, and a rigid yspreader member seated in said mouth and spreading said mouth from a normal diameter thereof to a larger -diameter where it spreads over said air propelling member. n

3. An atomizer according to claim. Zand wherein said body is substantially cylindrical, said air propelling member including a collar which rotatably embraces said body, andsaid rigid spreader comprising a decorative element disposed above: said collar, said air propelling member further including air compression means rotating together therewith.

4. An atomizer according to claim 3 and including a rotation limiting stationary collar disposed around said body below said air propelling member collar and on which said air propelling member collar rests, said limiting collar being of rigid material, a tongue formed on said limiting collar, andthelilower end of said `air propelling member `collar having agroove `formed therein in which said tongue is slidably received, the extent of said groove in cooperationzwith(said/tongue determining the limits .of rotation of -said air'y propelling member, one limit ofrotation constituting an open position of the atomizer andthe other limit of rotation constituting a closed position thereof.

5. An atomizer according to claim 4 and including a horizontal flange integral with said body and constituting a floor therefor, `and means on said horizontal ange for maintaining said limiting collar in apredetermined angular position.

`6. An-atomizer for dispensing liquidfrom ka bottle having a neck, said atomizer comprising a resilient body having a base adapted .to rest upon the bottle neck and extending upwardly therefrom in' the form of a post, said body having dispensingvpassage means formed therein, an air-y propelling member surrounding and rotatably and co-axially embracing ksaid body and having transverse passage meansadapted to be aligned with said dispensing passage means of said body upon `one limit of rotation of said airl propelling lmember and to be4 misaligned therewith upon the other limit` of rotation thereof, .means toeffect saidv two limits of rotation, the rotatability of said air propelling member being ina horizontal plane, and means f to lock said air propelling member in respect to vco-axial movement on said body, said locking means Acomprising a crown formed at the top end ofsaid body and extending References Cited in the' file of this patent p UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 115,243 Vuillemenot July 13, 1939 2,037,207 Brown Apr. 14,1936 2,755,132 Croce 'July 17, 1956 f FOREIGN PATENTS 32,649 rGermany Aug. 19, 1885 

